6 Oct 12- 26, 2018 VOL. 37 • ISS. 22

ALMANOR LAKE

Trout & Salmon Bites Build with Cooling Water

CHESTER-“ The fall fishing is underway at Lake Almanor featuring beautiful crisp mornings followed by warm afternoons. Our days are loaded with fantastic trophy trout action. We are currently seeing a mixed bag of fish featuring big thick rainbows, some hot kings salmon and a few bruiser browns,” exclaimed Captain Bryan Roccucci of Big Daddy’ s Guide Service.

“ It is strictly a bait affair on the lake right now as the fish chase the schools of pond smelt up and down the east shore as well as many areas along the peninsula. Once these trout and salmon have the bait balled up they are aggressively going on the chomp. We have seen single, double, triple and even quad hookups that make for exciting action at the back of the boat. The size of these fish has been running from 2 to over 6 pounds and are providing outstanding battles on our light tackle, rods doubled over and lots of line going out,” Roccucci asserted.

The Fish Sniffer’ s own Cal Kellogg and his wife Gena fished Almanor from their Hobie kayaks this week and they did well landing a variety of rainbows and browns to 2 pounds while trolling Cripplures, Hum Dingers and Kastmasters near Canyon Dam.

“ The action was really good at Almanor and it’ s only going to get better over the coming weeks,” said Kellogg.

LAKE AMADOR

Anglers Target Bass, Channel Catfish Until Trout Plants Begin

IONE – Fishing pressure has been very light at Lake Amador lately, but that will all change when trout plants begin in October when the water temperature cools down enough to allow stocking. The stocking usually begins towards the end of October, depending upon the water temperature, according to Lee Lockhart of the Lake Amador Resort.

“ We will probably begin the plants by stocking Donaldson-strain steelhead and cuttbows, cutthroat / rainbow hybrids, averaging 1-1 / 2 to 2 pounds from our hatchery,” reported Lockhart.“ We also plan to stock some trophy size Lightning Trout in the 4 to 8 lb. range this fall. In

In spring of 2018, he said the lake will begin stocking channel catfish, supplementing the good population of catfish also in the lake.

Until the trout plant begins, anglers will continue to focus on black bass and channel catfish. Anglers can hook the largemouths on an array of plastic worms, Senkos, swimbaits, jigs, crankbaits, top water baits and other lures. The channel catfish will hit mackerel, chicken liver, anchovies, dough baits and other offerings.

The lake is currently 22 feet from full and the boat launching facilities are in full operation.

- Dan Bacher

AMERICAN BASIN / STAMPEDE RESERVOIR

French Meadows Browns Are Hitting

AUBURN – Trollers are picking up browns to 18 inches while trolling with Rapalas at French Meadows Reservoir.“ A couple of customers caught and released a bunch of browns to 18 inches while trolling with giant Rapala Shad Raps at French Meadows,” said Craig Newton at Willfish Bait and Tackle.“ The water is definitely cooling down now.”

Bank anglers should also see increasing success while tossing out Rapalas, PowerBait and nightcrawlers at the lake as the water temperatures go down. Fishing is best in the Middle Fork of the American inlet and along offshore ledges.

Hell Hole kokanee salmon fishing has slowed down as the fish move into spawning mode. Anglers were still picking up some kokanee in the in the 12 to 13 inch range while trolling hoochies, spinners and bugs, tipped with white corn, at press time. Newton hasn’ t heard anything about the mackinaw or brown bite at the lake lately.

The kokanee are now spawning at Stampede.“ Trollers have reported catching and releasing some kokanee in the 18 inch class while using hoochies at 15 feet deep in the river inlet at Stampede, as well as picking up a couple of rainbows in the 21 inch class,” said Newton.

- Dan Bacher

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AMERICAN RIVER

Salmon Should Move into River Soon

SACRAMENTO – After lowering releases from Nimbus Dam into the American River to 1,000 cfs so that the CDFW staff could install the fish picket for fall weir operations, the Bureau of Reclamation ramped the releases back up to 1,800 cfs.

However, on October 1, just in time for the

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arrival of the fall salmon run, Reclamation reduced the releases from 1,800 cfs to 1,500 cfs.

Anglers have largely avoided the American River to focus on the much better local salmon fishing on the Sacramento and Feather rivers. Neither Alan Fong of Fisherman’ s Warehouse in Sacramento nor Uncle Larry Barnes of Sacramento Pro Tackle have heard of anybody catching salmon on the American in the last couple of weeks.

That will all change when the main run of fall Chinook salmon moves into the lower American. That should happen soon, since many anglers lately have reported catching their one fish limits on the Sacramento between the mouth of the American and the I Street Bridge while tossing spinners from the bank and trolling and jigging from boats.

Until the salmon bite busts loose, your best bet on the river now is targeting striped bass, but fishing pressure for stripers is also very light. Anglers fishing the river from Sailor Bar to Howe Avenue should toss out Zara Spooks and Pencil Poppers early and late in the day. During the heat of the day, fishermen should fish with jumbo minnows, sardines and anchovies.- Dan Bacher

Elaine caught and released this beautiful spotted bass during a September adventure at Collins Lake.

Photo courtesy of the COLLINS LAKE RECREATION AREA, Oregon House.

LAKE BERRYESSA

Afternoon Yields Top Black Bass Action

NAPA – Larry Hemphill, fishing guide, was able to do a trip with Justin Wolff, owner of Angler West TV productions, in late September.

“ Clara Ricabal works with his company and was along for the trip,” said Hemphill.“ Thankfully, she caught the biggest bass, as it should be! Actually, it really was a fun day except for the weather conditions. The forecast was for a cool, breezy morning. Well, not so.”

We had bright sun with no breeze and the lake went totally flat by noon. Not a breath of wind. Very tough conditions! Thankfully, we did get a slight breeze in the early afternoon and the bass became active,” noted Hemphill.

“ What’ s new- the usual afternoon bite- at least in my boat,” Hemphill stated.

Continued on Pg 6